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Homemade refrigerator pickles

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on January 15, 2011| 3 Comments »

pickle cucumbers

Or, “Dad’s Guinea Pig Christmas Present”

I have a deep love for pickles, and I got it from my dad. I found this nifty recipe on the Homesick Texan blog and just HAD to try it out… but I didn’t test it on myself first. Good thing they turned out delicious, or else my poor Dad would’ve had a pretty disappointing Christmas. 😉

Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of the finished product, but I’ve got step-by-step pictures at the bottom!

Ingredients

Here’s my version of the recipe.

  • 6 Kirby cucumbers (or however many will fit in your jar. I used an empty pickle jar and was able to fit 5), washed, and halved lengthwise. You can use whatever small cucumbers are at your store. I think mine were called “garden cucumbers” or “pickling cucumbers.”
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 2 Tbs salt
  • 1 Tbs black peppercorns (I didn’t have peppercorns, so I just used about 3/4 Tbs ground black pepper)
  • 1 Tbs coriander seeds
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced (like I’ve said before, if you don’t have one of these, go get one now – it will change your life)
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill (I used a little less than 1/4 cup dried dill)

Directions

They have to sit in the refrigerator for one week before you can eat them, and then they last for about a week after that. I think. Dad ate all his in 2 days.

  1. Dump salt, peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic and dill in a clean (sterilized) glass jar. You can use a mason jar, but like I said, I just used an empty pickle jar that I washed.
  2. Pack the pickles into the jar, leaving 1/2″ at the top. Pack them pretty snug, but not so tight that the vinegar and seasonings can’t get between them.
  3. Pour in the vinegar. Fill the remainder of the jar with water and put the lid on.
  4. Shake the jar for about 1 minute. Refrigerate the pickles for 6 days, shaking for 1 minute daily.

I did find that since I used dried dill and not fresh, you had to rinse off the pickles before eating them, or else they had a layer of dill stuck to them. No big deal. Dad graciously allowed me to have one (just to see if the recipe turned out ok, of course…), and oh my goodness, they were delicious!

Here are some pictures to show you how easy it was:

pickle jar with salt and pepper

coriander seeds in measuring spoon

fresh garlic with garlic press

pickle jar with garlic, coriander, salt and pepper

pickle jar with dill, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper

homemade dill pickles in jar

I know it looks gross, but it was SO delicious!

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Mushroom Goulash

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , on January 6, 2011| 2 Comments »

Slow cooker recipe for mushroom goulash in the crock pot

Yes, you read that correctly. Mushroom goulash. If you hate mushrooms, don’t even bother reading any further (unless you are my sister… then you are MORALLY OBLIGATED to continue).

I found this recipe in a book of wonder and joy called “Slow Cooker Favorites Made Healthy.” It called for portobello, but I used whatever those regular mushrooms are. “Button” mushrooms, maybe? It fed the two of us for 2-3 meals, if I remember correctly.

Ingredients

I used smoky paprika, but next time I’ll probably use regular paprika. I am addicted to smoky paprika, but I think it was a little too smoky for this dish.

  • 16 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 Tbs dry minced onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 14-oz can vegetable broth (I have the sneaking suspicion that I probably used low-sodium chicken broth, but it tasted fine)
  • 1 14 1/2-oz can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes (do not drain!)
  • 1 6-oz can of no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 2 Tbs paprika
  • 1 tsp. dried crushed oregano
  • 1 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (I used light)
  • 8 ounces dried egg noodles (cook and drain these when you’re ready to eat)

Directions

I actually put this in the crock pot one night, and packed it up the next morning to take to work for lunch. I wouldn’t recommend doing that, though, because it required too many separate dishes…

  1. Combine the mushrooms, onion and garlic in the crock pot. Stir in the broth, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, caraway seeds, salt and pepper (basically everything except the sour cream and noodles).
  2. Cover and cook on the “low” setting for 8-9 hours (or on “high” for 4-4 1/2 hours, according to the recipe).
  3. Stir the sour cream into the mushroom mixture before serving over noodles.

I didn’t stop to take pictures of the finished product that morning before work. BUT, the above photo shows you how beautiful it is before stirring and cooking.

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Hummus? 5 minutes? $1? Yes please!

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , on December 9, 2010| 3 Comments »

Homemade hummus garnished with parsley and paprika

This literally takes about 5 minutes. If you think it’s ridiculous that stores sell hummus in tiny $5 tubs, your day is about to get a WHOLE lot better.

Ingredients

Basically the only thing you would actually need to buy is the chickpeas. You probably have everything else on hand already!

  • 1 16-oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
  • 1/4 cup of the liquid from the can of chickpeas
  • 3-5 Tbs lemon juice (it all depends on taste)
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed. If you don’t have one of these, buy one immediately. It will change your life.
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp. chili powder

Optional: Some dried parsley and smoky paprika.

Directions

Seriously. Five minutes and you’re done.

  1. Drain chickpeas (except for reserved liquid).
  2. Blend chickpeas, reserved liquid, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and chili powder in blender or food processor.
  3. Pour onto a plate. Sprinkle with dried parsley and smoky paprika (or regular paprika). Eat with pita, warmed-up tortilla or crackers!

This stuff is delicious. It’s a great party appetizer, because it’s beautiful and everyone loves hummus! If you want to expand your hummus horizons even farther, check out the green hummus recipe.

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Oh, Apple Pie

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on December 9, 2010| 2 Comments »

Homemade apple pie on the stove

The only thing better than an apple pie is two apple pies. Except chocolate. And cheese. But I digress…

As the weather gets colder, I’ve been in the mood for all things apple. In addition to homemade applesauce, I’ve made apple pie three (four?) times in the past couple of months! The recipe I use is in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Except for the crust… that’s my grandma’s recipe.

Ingredients

The ingredients for apple pie are actually very cheap! You can buy  pre-made pie crust if you’re afraid of getting a little flour on your counter, but I dare you to try homemade crust and see if it doesn’t make all the difference in the world!

Filling

  • 6 cups *thinly* sliced, peeled cooking apples (about 2 1/2 lbs.). Peel them with a knife (after slicing) or a potato peeler (before slicing).
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbs flour
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

The recipe says you can also add 1 Tbs lemon juice, but that’s just to keep the apples from browning, and I think that’s completely unnecessary if you’re just going to cook them in a pie anyway.

Crust

As much as I love butter, this is my favorite all-purpose crust ever. Crumbly beats flaky hands-down this time. Plus, I have fond memories of my grandma teaching me to make this when I was little.

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 (actually, barely more than 1/3) cup vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbs cold water

You will actually need twice the amount of everything, since you need to make a crust on top and on bottom, but you have to make them separately to make sure the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Trust me.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Crust

Do this first and set aside.

  1. Mix flour and salt together, then add oil and stir until moistened.
  2. Add one Tbs cold water to one corner of flour mixture and blend it into that corner. Do the same with the other two Tbs of water. This is to make sure the water is evenly distributed.
  3. Place a sheet of waxed paper onto the counter and sprinkle some flour on it.
  4. Take the lump out of the bowl and mush it a few times to make sure it’s thoroughly mixed. Place it onto the waxed paper and press down into a thick circle. Lightly sprinkle flour on top.
  5. Place another sheet of waxed paper on top. Use a rolling pin (or a bottle of olive oil like I did…) to gently press out from the center until you get a flat, smooth circle. Make sure it’s big enough to fit in your pie pan, plus a little extra! Also make sure it’s not spread too thin.
  6. Remove the top piece of waxed paper. Turn the crust upside down onto the pie plate and slowly peel off the remaining piece of waxed paper. Make sure the edges stick up a little above the edge. Set aside.
  7. Repeat steps 1-5 and set aside, leaving it in the waxed paper. This will be used on top of the pie.

Filling

This part is really easy – you’re on the home stretch!

  1. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated.
  2. Place the apple mixture into the pie pan (which should already have the bottom layer of crust).
  3. Remove the top layer of waxed paper from the remaining pie crust. Turn it upside-down over the pie and gently peel off the remaining waxed paper. Tuck the top crust into the edges of the pie, sealing it with the bottom crust. Use a butter knife to cut slits in the top layer of crust.
  4. Place the apple pie on a cookie sheet (with edges) to keep it from dripping into your oven. Because it happens. And then, if you don’t clean it thoroughly enough, your oven catches fire the next time you try to use it, and your homemade biscuits taste like campfire. I’m just saying.
  5. Cover the outside edges of the pie with tinfoil so the crust doesn’t burn. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 20 more minutes. Let pie cool at least 2 hours before serving (unless you are Stephen and have smelled apple pie cooking for the last hour. Then you are excused and may eat the pie at the nearest opportunity).

I know there are a lot of steps, but don’t let it intimidate you. Once you get the hang of it, it actually goes pretty quickly. And it’s definitely worth it!

Here are some photos to show you what it looks like.

sliced, peeled apples for pie

Apple peels shaved off for pie

Grandma's pie crust recipe, ready for apple pie

Homemade apple pie filling in pie crust

Apple pie with crust

Homemade apple pie with several pieces missing

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Salmon Cheddar Bake

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on December 9, 2010| 4 Comments »

Fresh, easy salmon cheddar bake

My Mom and I exchange recipes quite often. Sometimes, it’s something that we saw, thought it looked yummy, and passed it along to the other person to make first to see if it’s any good. This is one of those recipes. The verdict: It’s good.

Ingredients

This is great to do if you have a loaf of bread that’s starting to get a little stale and you can’t use it for sandwiches.

  • 1 can salmon
  • 8-9 slices of bread (You can trim the crusts off. I decided it wasn’t worth my time.)
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 6 eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp. dill weed
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions

You can also add some chili powder if you want a little kick.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

  1. Drain and flake salmon. Set aside.
  2. Cut bread slices diagonally to make triangular pieces. Arrange them in a spiral in a greased 9-inch pie dish to cover the bottom of the dish. Arrange remaining triangles around the edge to form a crown (or be lazy and do it the way I did…). Trim off the parts that stick too far up over the edge.
  3. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the bread at the bottom of the pie dish.
  4. Whisk eggs, milk, dill, salt and pepper.
  5. Stir in salmon, green onions, and remaining 1 cup of cheese. Spoon evenly into pie dish.
  6. Bake 40 minutes or until the center is set.

It turns out really pretty. You can even sprinkle some green onions on the top after baking for some extra color. It’s really filling, so it actually lasted Stephen and I three meals. Or maybe two and a half.

If you like quiche, I would definitely recommend trying this!

Mixing ingredients for salmon & cheese bake

Salmon cheese bake is going fast!

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